Acid Reflux Symptoms - Causes and Remedies

Up to 40% to 50% of the population has acid reflux symptoms and heartburn at least once a month. Most of these acid reflux sysmptoms readily respond to at least one simple treatment like over-the-counter acid reflux remedies and lifestyle modifications.

Taking actions such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and working at increasing your overall health using a healthy acid reflux diet, physical activity, and stress management. These measures may alleviate heartburn and other symptoms of acid reflux disease. However, sometimes these heartburn and acid reflux symptoms can become more severe and lead to serious health complications.

Acid Reflux Symptoms Can Cause Chronic Inflammation

acid reflux symptoms

In the long term, some people develop persistent problems with acid reflux symptoms that can result in the development of a more severe chronic inflammatory reaction. Acidic digestive juices that remain pooled at the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) area can injure the esophageal tissue, causing bleeding and ulcers within the esophagus and scar tissue formation at the lower end of the esophagus.

This esophageal erosion and ulceration can cause narrowing of the opening around the LES valve and be very painful. Others might not have any clear visual indication of disease of the esophagus; however, they may experience severe symptoms of acid reflux disease and have a very poor quality of life.

Esophageal Strictures

Esophageal strictures are a complication of those who have erosive acid reflux disease; people with non-erosive acid reflux disease are not thought to be at risk for strictures. There is no evidence to suggest that erosive acid reflux disease is a greater risk for cancer development.

Esophageal Cancer As A Cause os Acid Reflux Symptoms

Esophageal adenocarcinoma occurs in a small proportion of people. Recognized risk factors for esophageal cancer include a long history of acid reflux disease with severe symptoms, obesity and Barren’s esophagus. Medications that act to relax the lower esophageal sphincter muscle may also contribute to increasing the risk of cancer. People felt to be at high risk of developing esophageal cancer need to be monitored regularly by a gastroenterologist.

Common Heartburn and Acid Reflux Treatments

There are several accepted strategies for treating acid reflux disease, depending on the severity of the symptoms and associated risk factors – from natural acid reflux remedies, following a healthy acid reflux diet to a drug or surgery based acid reflux treatment.

Over-the-Counter Acid Reflux Remedies

acid reflux remedies

Over-the-counter acid reflux remedies can neutralize the acid or control the total amount of acid and digestive juices available from the stomach, providing heartburn relief from the pain of acid reflux symptoms. Controlling stomach acid will decrease the pain of heartburn and indigestion and also reduce the backflow of acid from the stomach, which contributes to the throat discomfort.

There are a number of over-the counter preparations available to deal with non chronic acid reflux symptoms. Some products, such as calcium carbonate preparations (for example, Tums), are designed to neutralize stomach acid, while other preparations (for example, Zantac, Pepcid) are designed to reduce the total amount of acid and digestive juices available from the stomach. Most people find that these acid reflux treatments provide relief, often for months, and some for many years – although long term use is definitely not the best policy as you’re simply easing the symptoms rather than addressing the main problem.

Medical Procedures

Drug Based Acid Reflux Treatment

When over-the-counter acid reflux remedies can no longer provide complete and predictable heartburn relief, it’s time to consult your doctor for an assessment and further diagnostic evaluation. Doctors will often prescribe higher doses of agents that will reduce the amount of digestive juices and acid produced by the stomach. If heartburn relief is inadequate from these agents, then a more powerful acid reflux treatment that more precisely target the action of the stomach may be prescribed.

Surgical Intervention

When undertaken on carefully selected patients, surgery can have a very positive influence on quality of life. Conversely, patients who do not meet the appropriate criteria for surgery but move ahead with this intervention may not experience a significant change in quality of life.

Open abdominal or open thoracic are the two procedures traditionally used in surgical treatment to combat chronic acid reflux symptoms. Recently, minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has become a preferred approach by some. If laparoscopic surgery is chosen, be sure to select a center and a surgeon with significant expertise.

Lifestyle Changes To Counteract Acid Reflux Symptoms

This is always the best policy to begin with if you’re suffering continual acid reflux symptoms. A balanced lifestyle, featuring regular physical activity, stress management, and a nutritious acid reflux diet that incorporates well-tolerated foods, is effective not only for treating chronic heartburn but also for preventing acid reflux disease in the first place. Begin by adding regular physical activity to your daily routine, and eating smaller meals.

Re-examine your diet to see if you can make any improvements. Eliminating or replacing citrus fruits, tomatoes, carbonated drinks, and alcohol can be a starting point because these products can trigger acid reflux symptoms without necessarily causing reflux. Stress management is another area that will need your attention. Improving your diet and physical activity will help with controlling stress, but don’t forget social relationships. Stay connected with family and friends; they are the social networks that will help you with stress management. If cigarettes are still part of your life, work at gradually removing them and control the use of alcohol as cigarettes and alcohol are major contributors to acid reflux disease.